YouTube set price-tag for tallest snowman in Russia, Ukraine

Russia's popular YouTube channel SlivkiShow, announced a prize of 100,000 rubles for the tallest snowman built by viewers. According to the contest rules, it has to be done by hand as no machines are allowed.

Donetsk (Ukraine): Building a snowman isn't always just a way to while away a long winter. For some people in Russia and Ukraine, it's a way to possibly earn some significant money.

The YouTube channel SlivkiShow, popular among Russian-speakers with more than 12 million subscribers, launched some serious construction efforts last month by announcing a prize of 100,000 rubles ($1500) for the tallest snowman built by viewers.

A group of young men from Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine where armed conflict between separatists and Ukrainian forces drags on, looked like serious contenders until they were undone by both war and weather.

Daniil Kovalenko said that above zero temperatures in Donetsk, along with strong blows to the ground from fighting brought their building efforts crashing down.

The contest may be a potentially lucrative lark for some, but for a woman in the Arctic Circle city of Severomorsk, it's serious business.

Anna Zorina says she wants the prize to defray the costs of surgery for her son.

In videos submitted to the contest so far, building techniques have ranged from the classic rolling a big ball of snow to well-organized work by teams applying snow to solid frames.

Contest rules say it has to all be done by hand - no machines allowed.

The contest also specifies no matter how big and intimidating the snowman, it has to have a jolly, classic carrot nose.